Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Mitchel Auerbach can be contacted at mauerbachfsoayahoodcom
Country of Service: Guatemala
Training Group: 1980
Cities you served in: Coban, Alta verapaz
Arrival Year: 1980
Departure Year: 1982
Work Description:
Forestry, agriculture, soil conservation
Bring us up to date on your life after the peace corps:
Hard to believe it's been 20 years! In a nutshell....
Mitchel Auerbach is the senior commercial officer in Dublin. He overseas a very busy commercial operation in this “Celtic Tiger” economy. Under his direction, staff in this busy country promotes US exports and helps create American jobs in the United States.
Prior to this, Mitch was the senior commercial officer in Almaty, Kazakhstan from 2004-2006. In this position, Mitch supervised a staff of eight and managed three separate programs; the Commercial Service, the Special American Business Internship Program (SABIT), and Ecolinks. Mr. Auerbach’s office also held regional coverage for Central Asia.
Before this, Mr. Auerbach was stationed at the U.S. Embassy, in Seoul, Korea, as a commercial attaché from 1999-2003. His portfolio of industries was wide ranging and included infrastructure, franchising, retailing, tourism, educational services, among others. In the past, he also covered the environmental technology/services industry.
From 1995-98, Mitch was the director of the San Antonio, Texas District Export Assistance Center. Under his direction, the San Antonio office was established and its array of services on behalf of the area’s exporting community were put into operation. Mitch managed this busy office's activities, which included the establishment of the San Antonio office's relations with the Central Texas area District Export Council, the Small Business Administration, the Ex-Im Bank, and other export-oriented business organizations.
From 1994-95 Mitch studied, full-time under a full U.S. Department of Commerce fellowship, at the University of Southern California's International Business and Exchange Program (IBEAR). Upon the completion of his studies, he received a MBA from this most demanding program.
Before attending the IBEAR program, Mitch resided in Portland, Oregon and worked as an International Trade Specialist with the U.S. Department of Commerce's Portland district office. Prior to this, he worked for five years at Commerce headquarters, in Washington, D.C., in its Forest Products Division. In this position, he promoted business development, performed research related to U.S. trade policy and engaged in trade negotiations on market access issues.
In the 1980's, Mitch served in Guatemala as forestry Peace Corps volunteer. In that capacity, he was instrumental in initiating large-scale reforestation and forestry research programs in his region of that country. Working closely with the local communities, he also set-up forest management programs, sustainable agro-forestry projects and soil conservation ventures.
From his overseas work experience and language training at FSI and elsewhere, Mitch is fluent in Spanish, speaks Korean and Russian, and has some knowledge of French. During his free time, Mitch can be found hiking and climbing in the mountains, traveling to far off locales, and generally exploring around. When he’s in town, he makes a good attempt at dancing, and keeping up on the local cultural happenings.
Any thoughts you have now looking back on peace corps days?:
It was a great experience being a Peace Corps volunteer.
Anyone you are looking for or would like to hear from?:
Anyone who served in Guatemala from 1980-82
Originally posted: April 21, 2007
